STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1201-18

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2018

RE: S.B. No. 2407

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Ninth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2018

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health & Human Services, to which was referred S.B. No. 2407, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO MEDICAL CANNABIS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to include opioid use and substance use disorders, or withdrawal symptoms resulting from treatment of those conditions, in the definition of a "debilitating medical condition" that may be addressed through use of medical cannabis.

Maui Grown Therapies, Oahu County Committee on Legislative Priorities of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, The Drug Policy Forum of Hawai‘i, Hawaii Educational Association for Licensed Therapeutic Healthcare, and a few individuals supported this measure. The Department of Health, University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu Police Department, Hawaii Substance Abuse Coalition, Hawaiian Pacific Pain and Palliative Care, and Hawaii Patients' Rights Hui opposed this measure. The Queen's Health Systems offered comments on this measure.

Your Committee has amended this measure by replacing its contents with provisions to convene a medical cannabis study group to examine the legal issues related to Hawaii's medical use of cannabis program, which conflicts with the Federal government's classification of marijuana (cannabis) as a Schedule I controlled substance and to submit a report to the Legislature.

Your Committee notes that the medical cannabis study group is tasked with researching and reporting on the legality of medical cannabis. Since the release of the United States Attorney General's January 4, 2018 Memorandum For All United States Attorneys titled "Marijuana Enforcement" there has been an increased need to determine how federal policy may affect Hawaii's approximately twenty thousand medical cannabis patients, the numerous licensed dispensaries, Department of Health, and Department of Public Safety. This Study Group has the potential to provide information that is of national interest.

Your Committee notes that there are numerous resources readily available to provide information for the medical cannabis study group including: The National Conference of State Legislatures, Council of State Governments, Department of the Attorney General, Legislative Research Bureau, House Majority Staff Office, House Minority Research Office, and the Senate Majority Office.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health & Human Services that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2407, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2407, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health & Human Services,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair